A free audio tour is available.
Smailholm tower green roof.
It was the sight of smailholm that fired walter scott s imagination when as a young boy he was brought up by his grandparents at the nearby farm of sandyknowe.
On the upper three floors of smailholm tower is an exhibition of costumed figures and tapestries that evoke the area s turbulent history.
This is an interesting twist on a 100 natural green roof by using a thick bed of clay and turf.
Inside the tower is a model of this pringle residence and a charming collection of costume figures and tapestries relating to sir walter scott s minstrelsy of the scottish borders.
A scheduled monument in the care of historic scotland the stone tower suffered from severe damp penetration that was damaging its exhibition contents.
The green roof of smailholm tower scotland.
Smailholm tower sits on uneven ground on a hill.
The land around it is used for grazing.
Smailholm has no toilets.
The tower has three upper floors reached by a narrow 89cm stone spiral staircase of 63 steps with a rope handrail on the inner side.
Smailholm is a bold borders keep a haunt of sir walter scott in his childhood.